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It’s commonly known that Lamar Odom battled dependency issues throughout his tenure in the NBA and his previous marital relationship with Khloé Kardashian. The former spouses spoke frankly about his ordeals in the ex-Laker’s latest documentary series, Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom, notably his stay in the hospital and his drug overuse.
Following the debut of the documentary on March 31, 2026, numerous individuals questioned whether Lamar passed away in the aftermath of his overdose given that Khloé mentioned his father almost removed him from life-sustaining treatment.
As per his docuseries, here is the reality of what transpired with Lamar.
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Did Lamar Odom Die After His Overdose?
No, Lamar didn’t die. He was admitted to the hospital and was in a coma subsequent to his 2015 excess, but he wasn’t ever declared deceased. However, bewilderment cropped up amongst followers because Lamar’s father, Joe, who had also struggled with addiction, expressed to the hospital personnel that they should take the NBA star off the machines that were keeping him alive, according to Khloé.
“We get to the medical center. His father was present. I assume, [he] maybe thought, he’s now the recipient of Lamar’s estate,” Khloé recounted in an excerpt from the documentary series. “And Joe simply stated, ‘Don’t place him on life support. Disconnect those contraptions.’ And I recall entering at roughly that juncture, and I’m not exaggerating, it resembled a scene extracted straight from a motion picture. … I thought, ‘Excuse me, Joe, I am still legally married to him. What is your desire?’ And Joe requested a pair of Nikes along with $100, and lodging for the evening. And Joe departed, and never returned.”
At the time, Lamar had sought a divorce from the Kardashians celebrity. An interventionist suggested that she should present her then-spouse with a final decision: narcotics or their union. The sportsman went with the addiction.
Regardless, Khloé remained determined to look after Lamar. While rushing to his side at the medical facility, the Good American jeans creator remembers her inner thoughts being, “This is my husband. For better or for worse, I have to be there for him,” Khloé remarked in the documentary.
“I have to support him,” she continued. “And I was prepared to exhaust every means necessary to ensure that he possessed the optimal opportunity to prevail. I simply placed more confidence in my instincts compared to my trust in any individual within his vicinity.”
How Is Lamar Odom Doing Now?
Following Khloé and Lamar’s finalization of their split in 2016, he proceeded to grapple with his crack cocaine habit. Nevertheless, he has achieved around 60 days of sobriety as of March 2026. Back in January of that year, he had been taken into custody within Las Vegas for driving under the influence. He gained release from police confinement by January 20, 2026.
If you or an acquaintance is contending with substance abuse, reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
